Unplug the fridge, find the coils (behind the bottom grille, on the back, or up top on some built-ins), then loosen the dust with a long coil brush and vacuum it out. Plan on doing it every 6 to 12 months, and more often with pets.
Why coil cleaning matters
Your fridge pulls heat out of the food compartments and dumps it into the kitchen through the condenser coils. On many models a fan next to the compressor pulls room air across those coils. When the fins are packed with dust and pet hair, the heat has nowhere to go.
The fridge then runs longer to hold temperature. Badly clogged coils can make the compressor overheat and shut off before the cabinet is cold, which shows up as a warm fridge even though you can hear it running. Repair Clinic describes exactly that failure, and GE says to clean the coils when a fridge runs but isn't cold enough.
How often to clean them
Repair Clinic recommends every 6 to 12 months. Whirlpool says a home with a lot of pet traffic, dust or cooking grease may need it as often as every other month. GE doesn't give a fixed interval but says to clean more often if you have shedding pets or the fridge sits somewhere dusty, like a garage.
Some fridges don't need it at all. GE says most of its fridges made since 2001 have a condenser that doesn't need cleaning, and some models have no coils an owner can reach. Check your owner's manual before you start taking grilles off.
Find your coils
Coil location depends on the design. Look for one of these three layouts.
- Bottom front: behind the base grille below the doors, where Whirlpool puts them.
- Back: a grid of tubing on the rear of the cabinet.
- Top: inside a machine compartment behind a grille panel above the doors. On GE models the condenser sits at the very back on the right, behind the compressor.
Tools you'll need
The single most useful tool is a long, narrow condenser coil brush. GE sells one 27 1/2 in (70 cm) long with 12 in (30 cm) of bristles. A vacuum with a hose and a soft brush attachment does the rest.
You may also need a Phillips screwdriver for the base grille (Whirlpool's comes off after you remove two Phillips screws), a flashlight, and gloves. GE warns that the condenser fins have sharp edges and says to wear long sleeves and gloves.
Clean bottom-mounted coils
Unplug the refrigerator. If the plug is hard to reach, switch off its breaker.
Open the fridge door and take off the base grille. On Whirlpool models you remove two Phillips screws and pull it toward you; others just pull or snap off, so check your manual and don't force it.
Vacuum the grille and the open area behind it to remove the loose dust first.
Slide the coil brush into the gaps between the coils and work it back and forth. Expect a lot of dust. Go slowly so you don't bend tubing or knock wires loose.
Vacuum up everything you've loosened, including the floor in front of the fridge. Reach as far back as the hose allows.
Refit the grille, then plug the fridge back in or switch the breaker back on.
Clean back-mounted coils
Unplug the fridge, then pull it straight out from the wall. If you have an ice maker or dispenser, go slowly so you don't stretch or kink the water line. Brush the coils from top to bottom, then vacuum the coils and the floor behind the fridge.
When you push the fridge back, GE warns not to roll over the power cord or the water tubing. Whirlpool says fridges typically need about 1 in (2.5 cm) of space behind the cabinet and 1/2 in (1.3 cm) on the sides.
Clean top-mounted coils
Built-in fridges with coils on top need more care. GE says to cut power at the breaker or fuse box. Raise the grille panel at the top as your manual shows, then reach back through the middle of the machine compartment with a soft brush to loosen dust from the condenser at the back right. Vacuum the dust out with a hose attachment and restore power when you're done.
These fins are thin and sharp, and the compartment also holds the compressor and wiring. Wear gloves and only brush what you can see.
While you're down there
Look at the condenser fan, usually a small plastic blade near the compressor. With the power off, make sure nothing is caught in it and that it turns freely by hand. Repair Clinic says a blade that won't spin freely means the fan motor needs replacing. On LG fridges a condenser fan that isn't running can show as Er CF.
Check the floor too. A rug or a pile of bags pushed against the base grille blocks the air the fan needs. If you've cleaned the coils and the fridge still struggles, our refrigerator not cooling guide covers the next checks.
When to call a professional
Call a technician if the condenser fan won't turn freely, the compressor gets unusually loud or trips the breaker, or the fridge still won't cool a day after a thorough cleaning. Those point to a fan motor, compressor or sealed system problem.